In a news story first published in the Washington Post, it was reported that several TV shows’ “gadget gurus” have taken payments from the companies whose products they gush about.
Corey Greenberg, tech editor for NBC’s Today show, told The Wall Steet Journal that he has taken $15,000 each from Apple, Sony, Hewlett-Packard, Seiko Epson, Creative Technology, and others to promote their products on news shows.
NBC claims no knowledge of Greenberg’s receipt of payments, and Greenberg stated that he “never accepted payment to say nice things about a product in any venue.” The network claims to have made changes to their policy following this event.
The assumption has always been there, that the people who hawk gadgets on news shows are getting some sort of compensation, but this is the first time I’ve seen actual evidence and a dollar amount attached to it.
I think I’m ready for my new career.